 | what was the best fighter in the Pacific| Aircraft Requests Discuss what was the best fighter in the Pacific in the Aviation forums; what was the best fighter in the Pacific theater of war?... |
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10-13-2005, 11:44 PM
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#1 | | Member
Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Snohomish Washinton
Posts: 34
| what was the best fighter in the Pacific
what was the best fighter in the Pacific theater of war? | 
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10-13-2005, 11:49 PM
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#2 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 12,140
Country:  | P-38L USAAF/ F4U-4 USN
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10-14-2005, 12:18 AM
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#3 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 7,582
| Its hard to disagree with your choices. I will say the same.
Although, a Ki84 that was put together with good materials and flown by an experienced pilot, would have been equal.
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10-14-2005, 01:12 AM
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#4 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canvey Island Essex UK
Posts: 3,220
Country:  | F4U
Having seen them fly at air shows (and this Sunday coming)
nothing goes like it or makes manouvers with so little effort .
An incredible aircraft. | |
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10-14-2005, 02:38 AM
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#5 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK (atm Pretoria, South Africa)
Posts: 10,712
Country:  | Quote: |
Originally Posted by FLYBOYJ P-38L USAAF/ F4U-4 USN | Agreed FBJ.
__________________  "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts"
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10-14-2005, 05:14 AM
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#6 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 28,136
Country:  | P-38/F4U can not be disputed in my opinion.
__________________  US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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10-14-2005, 06:52 AM
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#7 | | Minister of Whoopass
Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi
Posts: 12,369
Country: | Agreed 100%, and Ill throw the N1K2-J on top of the Ki-84.....
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10-14-2005, 08:56 AM
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#8 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 28,136
Country: | I will agree with you on that too Les.
__________________ US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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10-14-2005, 10:15 AM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 7,582
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by trackend F4U
Having seen them fly at air shows (and this Sunday coming)
nothing goes like it or makes manouvers with so little effort .
An incredible aircraft. | At Chino, they have their P38 do maneuvers that not even the Corsair will do. Nothing like seeing a P38 do some rolls at low altitude.
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10-14-2005, 10:30 AM
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#10 | | Konfused with a 'K'
Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Turin, Italy
Posts: 20,412
Country:  | Agreed guys.
__________________  with my one last gaping breath id apologise for bleeding on your shirt... | |
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10-14-2005, 10:54 AM
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#11 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canvey Island Essex UK
Posts: 3,220
Country: | I admit to not having seen a Lighting in the flesh flying so I shall bow to those with the knowledge. All I will say is the F4U was so incredibly smooth and I think a lot of that is down to that whopping great 18 pot radial lump.
How accurate these figures are I'm sure you guys can verifie
but if these are right the Corsair seems to have a considerable speed and range advantage over the Lightning
Specifications:
Vought F4U-4 Corsair
Dimensions:
Wing span: 41 ft (12.5 m)
Length: 33 ft 8 in (10.3 m)
Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.90 m)
Wing Area: 314 sq ft (29.17 sq m)
Weights:
Empty: 9,205 lb (4,175.3 kg)
Gross: 12,420 lb (5,633.6 kg)
Maximum Take-Off: 14,670 (6,654.2 kg)
Performance:
Maximum Speed: 446 mph (717.75 kph) @ 26,200 ft (7,985.8 m)
Cruise Speed: 000 mph (000 km/h)
Service Ceiling: 41,500 ft (12,649.2 m)
Normal Range: 0,000 miles (0,000 km)
Maximum Range: 1,560 mi (2,510.5 km)
Powerplant:
One Pratt-Whitney R-2800-18W Double Wasp eighteen-cylinder radial
engine, developing 2,100 hp (1,567 kW) for take-off, 1,950 hp (1,455 kW)
@ 23,300 ft (7,101.8 m), 2,450 hp (1,828.4 kW) for "War Emergency".
Armament:
Six .50 cal (12.7 mm) Colt-Browning M2 machine guns (some variants had four 20mm cannon) and two 1,000 lb (453.6 kg) bombs or eight 5 in (127 mm) rockets.
Specifications:
Lockheed P-38L Lightning
Dimensions:
Wing span: 52 ft. 0 in (15.84 m) 12:49 PM 4/14/2000
Length: 37 ft. 10 in. (11.53 m)
Height: 12 ft. 10 in. (3.91 m)
Weights:
Empty: 14,100 lb. (6,395 kg)
Operational: 17,500 lb. (7,937 kg)
Performance:
Maximum Speed: 390 mph (627 km/h) @ 15,000 ft. (4,572 m)
Service Ceiling: 40,000 ft. (12,192 m)
Range: 900 miles (1,448 km) @ 30,000 ft. (9,144 m)
Powerplant:
Two Allison V-1710-111/113 , liquid cooled engines. Engine power
developed 1,425 hp (1,062 kw) @ sea level and 26,500 ft. (8,077 m).
Under war emergency conditions 1,600 h.p. (1,193 kw) was available.
Armament:
One 20 mm. Hispano AN-M2C cannon. and four .50 calibre Browing machine guns.
External bomb load of 4,000 lbs. or ten 5 in. rockets. | |
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10-14-2005, 12:20 PM
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#12 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 7,582
| The range figures of the Lightning doesnt reflect it being able to carry long range drop tanks.
I know the Lightning was doing some really long range missions in 1945. I remember reading about P38's flying from Morotai to Singapore! I also talked with a P38 pilot at Chino who did a couple of missions from Biak to Balikpapin in Borneo, which also was a really long flight.
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"Pilot to copilot..... what are those mountain goats doing up here in the clouds?" | |
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10-14-2005, 01:04 PM
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#13 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 28,136
Country: | Both aircraft were great. This could lead to some good discussions.
__________________ US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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10-14-2005, 01:59 PM
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#14 | | Konfused with a 'K'
Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Turin, Italy
Posts: 20,412
Country: | P-38L actually cracked 443mph, all P-38's done over 400mph so I dont know where the 390mph figure came from. Could also reach 44,000ft and carry 5,200lbs of bombs.
__________________ with my one last gaping breath id apologise for bleeding on your shirt... | |
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10-14-2005, 02:13 PM
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#15 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London
Posts: 2,608
| I would like to suggest the Ki100. The Ki84 was an excellent aircraft but the JAF considered the 100 to be the best.
On paper it might not stack up but I am not going to argue against the pilots flying the Ki100 who were confident when flying against the American aircraft of the day | |
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